>> steve: that's right. we've got the finest weather people in television. so as we hunker down and watch sandy, watch us. >> gretchen: log on for our after the show show. be safe, everyone. have a great day. sandy strengthens and targets a paralyzed east coast right now. you have new york city basically shut down. coastal areas in new jersey, maryland, virginia, preparing for the worst. this is a massive, massive storm. and it could truly affect people from maine all the way down to north carolina. as far west as the great lakes. that is 900 miles from coast to coast. good morning everybody, i'm martha maccallum, here in "america's newsroom". bill: i'm bill hemmer. good morning of live today from cincinnati, ohio. it is the critical battleground state in the race for the white house

only eight days away. sandy making her presence known on the trail. president obama canceling an hour ago a trip he planned to orlando, florida. he will monitor the storm in the white house. the romney team dropping fund-raising e-mails up and down the east coast. over the next two hours we will talk to the voters of this critical state, especially in the southwestern part of the state and talk about why ohio could be the most critical battleground state of 2008, martha. martha: you about first, bill, team fox coverage on this monster storm. rick leventhal live in point pleasant beach, new jersey, maria molina tracking storm in the extreme weather center. let's get started with wrik on the shore where the effects of sandy are just beginning to be femt. good morning, rick. >> reporter: good morning, martha. conditions deteriorating here. my rain suit covered with sand and as sandy starts to reach the jersey shore.

this town is under mandatory evacuation order. this is not barrier island but officials were worried because they expected surge to be significant. you can see the water reaching this pier out on the beach. local authorities went door-to-door yesterday telling residents to get out. they say most of the residents did heed the warning as they have up and down the new jersey coast. this entire state is being threatened now. the governor made a very clear plea to anyone in low-lying areas, don't be stupid and get out for this reason. you see water now already coming up on the shore here. we saw it last night reaching, reaching the boardwalk. current is pretty strong and the winds gusting now to near 30 miles an hour. they're expecting the surge to be eight to 12 feet along the jersey shore which obviously would be well over our heads here. so we do have higher ground to retreat to. in the meantime we've seen

some streets in point pleasant already underwater. we've seen at least one power line down already. the concern is as wind and rain comes in and heavy leaves on the trees, the trees come down, they bring undo power lines. people across the state could be without power for a week or more. all the public transit has been closed. hundreds of school districts have shutdown of the the warning is basically if you haven't gotten out now, you probably should hunker down and stick this one out. martha. martha: rick, does it seem people have heeded the warning? is it a ghost time there or are people hanging around? >> reporter: here in point pleasant it is very, very quiet. most of the homes are empty. police and emergency management officials said people were heeding the warnings when they went door-to-door knocking. most people weren't home. most people that were home were making preparations to get out. they have seen the warnings and seen the satellite maps and they realize how bad this thing is expected to be.

the surf is angry. take a look at these waves. they have been bad for a couple days now. a lot of hurricanes you see guys surfing as the storm approaches. there isn't anybody out on the water and there hasn't been since we got out here yesterday. it would be suicide to go out there now. martha: rick, thank you. be safe out there. this storm is not to be underestimated. hurricane sandy could be the largest storm ever to hit the united states. and that comes to us from the national oceangraphic and atmospheric administration. the effects could be felt across 800 miles. that is distance from chicago to new york. in atlantic city, on the coast of new jersey the casinos shut down yesterday afternoon. only the fourth time, it takes a lot to close down the casinos in atlantic city. they have heeded these warnings as well, bill. bill: if you look at the radar, martha, on the far western edge, southwestern ohio, literally, that is how

far and how large this storm stretches here. a chilly cold morning in ohio. hurricane sandy having a big impact on the campaign trail. bear in mind only eight days away. tomorrow is election day. president obama canceled an appearance in orlando the could so he could return to the white house to monitor. president clinton will speak in his place in orange county, florida. vice president biden will be back here in the state of ohio. on the republican side, governor romney has been all throughout the state. but he will hit three battleground states in total today. first ohio, iowa and later wisconsin. paul ryan, the vice-presidentialal nominee is crisscrossing florida with three events across the state after he spent two days, friday and saturday throughout the state of ohio. but thng a back seat to sandy. maria molina live in the fox news extreme weather center with the latest on the track for sandy. maria, what do you see this

hour. >> bill, good to see you. unfortunately sandy is coming. it is a very large storm system like we've been mentioning. over 800 miles wide. ism packs will be felt in portions of great lakes and west of michigan. waves are building 25 feet because of the storm system by early tuesday morning. portions of west virgina under a blizzard warning. we're expecting two to three feet of? factor that with strong winds you're talking about whiteout conditions across portions of the state of west virgina. toward the coast we're dealing with potential flooding across the d.c., baltimore area. the rain stretches into southeastern portions of west virginia. storm surge to could be high as 11 feet across the new york city area. the storm is turning left. now towards the north-northwest at 20 miles an hour. the pressure in the center of the storm is extremely low, 946 millibars. that means basically sandy

is continuing to strengthen. maximum wind now 85 miles an hour. could have maximum wind at 90 miles an hour by the tame it makes landfall across central and southern new jersey as we head into this evening and into tonight. by the time it makes landfall, could become not only a hurricane but post-tropical system. don't pay any attention to that. it will have major impacts across new england and northeast and and southeast we will feel tropical storm wind gusts. expected water rise, very high, 11 feet across portions of long island sound. it is a large storm system. even areas fourth south across southern new jersey will deal with a storm surge four to eight feet. five to 10 feet across southern parts of long island. this scenario with the center of the storm moving across central portions of new jersey is pretty much the worst-case scenario for storm surge across new york city. water piling up across long island sound. waurl exciting up along new

york harbor. the harbor in the east river will have nowhere to go. we could see flooding across the five boroughs of the new york city area especially along the war water. bill? bill: wow! is the storm behaving as you expect i had to behave? >> yes. bill: what is the possibility it stalls over pennsylvania or the state of new york or perhaps over all of the northeastern part of the u.s.? >> two most reliable computer models have been consistent indicating landfall is expected across central and southern new jersey as we head into evening overnight. we known that for a few days. that is good news. we know the storm system is going. but impacts could be very devastating and possibly catastrophic for some people especially towards coastal area where we're expecting a high storm surge. it could weaken inland but it is a large storm. it will take a long time to weaken. it is forecast to slow down and linger several days. we could deal with showers and clouds as late as thursday or friday of this

week. expectedding several days here of stormy conditions across the northeast and the worst of the storm is forecast to be as we head into tonight, overnight hours and early tuesday but heavy rain still forecast through the day on tuesday and even early wednesday, bill. bill: what a remarkable time this is. a remarkable story. thank you, maria. election is affected by the hurricane. early voting canceled in the state of maryland, washington, d.c., and parts of north carolina that is critical swing state with 15 electoral votes in north carolina. in the other battleground state on the east coast, virginia, governor bob mcdonnell, rather, he was talking yesterday about absentee voting requirements and how they have been eased in his state. have a listen here. >> the state board of elections is already planning for extended hours in advance absentee voting and it is now a priority, moved up to the same level as hospitals and police stations to have power restored. so we don't anticipate the

problems. we'll be ready but we're planning for contingencies if there's still a problem. >> if you still have a problem on election day you're going to make election places, schools, fire stations all that kind of stuff top priority for getting electricity back. is that what i hear you saying? >> absolutely. i think we'll be ready, candy. we'll have to wait and see come wednesday when the storm passes where we are. all hands will be on deck. bill: they are really just guessing this and trying to game it out but the hour. you can tell. governor mcdonnell said the state learned its lesson 14 months ago after hurricane irene which left people without power in that state for days. martha. martha: we'll find out what lessons were learned from irene at the same time as this last year. so many places out of power for so many days. we'll see whether or not we're in better shape this time around. airports across the northeast have been brought to a virtual stand still. that is causing a ripple effect for travelers around the country.

airports across the new york city area are open. but carriers canceled 7600 flights. basically you're not going anywhere in and out of this area today and down to d.c. as well in many cases. some airlines added flights out of the northeast. so they can move their planes off the ground and out of the storm's path to other areas around the country. all of this adds to the travel nightmare and indeed amtrak as well is suspending their train service across the region. so folks, where you are is where you're going to sty for the time-being. the storm is shutting down the new york stock exchange. the last time that happened was almost 30 years ago. during hurricane gloria back in 1985, and it is not just the new york city markets are being affected. the chicago mercantile exchange is also shut down. could be days before trading reopens. a lot of money sitting and waiting for this thing to blow through before it gets moving again. if you have any pictures or watching this, please send those to us at ureport at

foxnews.com. we want to get everybody around the country understanding what you're going through. add your name and where you are in the picture and you could see the picture on television throughout the next couple hours. remember please stay safe as you take the pictures. if you're in any danger don't send them at all. put if you can we'd love to see them. we have a jam packed show this morning. team coverage of hurricane sandy continues. we have the direction of the national hurricane center on deck to give us an update. millions people getting ready for the worst. new jersey governor chris christie once again as he did last time urging people to be ready. >> hard reality is even if we do everything within our power to prepare we can't stop the storm. bill: ohio, no republican ever won the white house without winning this critical state. i had a chance to sit down with senator robb portman. he is the leading surrogate for the romney team in the

state asking how he thinks his party will fare on tuesday. >> i think it is tie right now momentum is on our side. before the debates we were down five to 10 points. we've had a steady movement our way ever since hey! did you know that honey nut cheerios has oats that can help lower cholesterol? and it tastes good? sure does! wow. it's the honey, it makes it taste so... well, would you look at the time... what's the rush? be happy. be healthy.

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look for the experience and commitment to go the distance with you. call now to request your free decision guide. martha: how about this? the hurricane has forced 17 members of a historic tall ship off of north carol line's outer banks to abandon ship. they are now adrift in life boats in 18 foot seas. the coast guard has so far plucked 14 of those crewmembers of the hms bounty, is the sthip that we're talking about. it is off cape hatteras, about 160 miles from the eye of the storm. winds of 40 miles an hour reported out there. the ship was used in the 1960 film, ""mutiny on the

bounty"". some wondering what it was doing out there anyway. more details as it comes in. bill: book here live in cincinnati, ohio. you look at this part of the country and you think about the vote in past presidential races and how critical and important the vote has been in this part of the country. it is truly stunning when you look at the history. back out here live in cincinnati with the city behind us. living in new york, martha, we rarely see a political ad but the people in ohio, it is an absolute blizzard of tv spots, both day and night. one gentleman called me it is hate it. v. the ads are so negative i worn out the mute button on my own television. it is razor tight race right now. both sides are claiming they have the edge. i talked with ohio senator robb portman, a republican, leading surrogate for the romney team.

about how things are shaping up for governor romney eight days away. senator portman, good morning. >> good to be with you again. bill: on sunday you said we're about dead-even in ohio. that would mean governor romney is trailing. is that the case in this state today? >> no. i think it is a sty right now and i think momentum is on our side. in the polling before the debates we were down five or 10 points and we've had a steady movement our way ever since. poll came out on sunday i was referencing showed the race to be dead-even, tied at 49-49. that same poll only a few weeks ago showed us five points down. energy and enthusiasm is on our side. our folks are work harder than ever. grass-roots movement is harder than ever and momentum in is our direction which you always like. bill: in 2004 president bush beat senator kerry by 118,000 votes? is that the model for the state? do you have to the

match the bush numbers to win? >> it will be a little dynamic i think. i hope it is not that close. i think it will be a narrow victory. i think time around governor romney has the opportunity to get a lot of support from folks who supported barack obama last time who live near some of the big cities like cincinnati, cleveland, columbus who thought i would want to give this guy a chance. they have given him a chance and it hasn't worked. they have seen the results. we've seen unemployment go up. here in ohio poverty rates go up. food stamps go up. the kinds of things that indicate we're not heading in the right direction. what they're seeing is governor romney has a plan to change things, turn things around. big changes needed right now in washington that people think is broken. and president obama who has glossy new brochure, when you look inside it is more of the same. bill: when you think about what the obama team did in 2008, i mean do you have to, do you have to go well beyond the numbers of 2004? and because when you talk about these voters who voted

for the president four years ago and they have been disillusioned and perhaps not supporting him now, can you point to examples or concrete evidence where the obama supporters of 2008 have left him now? >> i can and it's the early voting numbers that are coming in. looks like we are overperforming in all the early voting and democrats are underperforming as compared to 2008. and we expected early voting to go more towards democrats because that is what happened in 2008. democrats like to vote early. republicans like to vote on election day. despite that we've been able to increase our numbers significantly and their numbers are down. so i think there is evidence there is less enthusiasm on their side. some of these obama supporters last time have looked at the economy, looked at what's happened, looked at the last four years and said they want to do something different the next four years. bill: we're in hamilton county, traditionally reliable republican part of the state. it wasn't that way in 2008. is this part of the state

where you need to overperform to win? or is it somewhere else in ohio? >> no, southwest ohio is area you need to do well as a republican. again i've been in a lot of victory centers this part of ohio where i'm from, where you're from, enthusiasm is unbelievable. we're having people show up make phone calls who have never been in politics before. we made three times more phone calls than 2008. we knocked on 20 win times more doors than 2008. i see enthusiasm here. i think we'll get turnout in southwest ohio to be good for us. frankly the other side is having tough time getting turnout they had in 2008. bill: senator, thank you for your time. >> you bet. thank you, bill. bill: rob portman here in cincinnati. right after this interview, martha, he jumped in his car, made a beeline to central ohio to meet with paul ryan and mitt romney. it is hard to believe we're eight days to go, eight days tuesday a week. early voting well underway. martha, back to you. martha: no stopping anything now.

bill, thank you so much. the october surprise called sandy is on the motion in the east coast. heavy rains and snow. ocean city, maryland is one place we'll be watching. forecasters are predicting a big surge. we'll be right [ male announcer ] when was the last time something made your jaw drop? campbell's has 24 new soups that will make it drop over, and over again. ♪ from jammin' jerk chicken, to creamy gouda bisque. see what's new from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. there's the sign to the bullpen. see whathere he comes.mpbell's. you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job, the pitch! so why are you doing his? whoa! only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach ac can damage the lining of your esophagus.

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back. martha: hurricane sandy now picking up speed as it comes closer to land. the radar showing the megastorm's immense size and its potential to affect some 50 million people. it is coming over some of the most highly populated area in the country. let's bring in rick nab, head of the national hurricane center. good to have you with us. >> good morning. martha: as you've been reporting it is gaining strength at this point. it is it doing anything you did not predict this time yesterday? >> generally speaking, no.

we've been forecasting a category 1 hurricane to remain offshore and make this left-hand turn which it has been doing overnight and this morning. it is now getting to an area where waters will be colder, but gets the shot of energy to keep its intensity up. defight -- despite the fact it is making into a poestd tropical system it is not changing impacts and a large system. we'll have several life-threatening hazards and storm surge and heavy rains and flooding and high winds going inland. one of the problems in landfall that will exacerbate the whole issue is the slowdown in the forward speed we see after landfall. it will linger in this area for another day after landfall before it finally moves away. a several day event is about to unfold. martha: we saw so many trees come down in hurricane irene, in terms of the power of these winds, can we expect

the ones that were strong enough to survive the last round to be tested this time? >> the impacts for this one could be very different in different places than irene. we have got to throw out the experience at individual locations for irene but just learn from the overall experience that inland impacts from wind and rainfall and flooding were very significant and that storm surge at the coast was an issue. it just might happen to ifrl different people in different places in different magnitudes. a very different track this time. that put as greater storm surge hazard in place from massachusetts south facing all the way to the delmarva. so people are going to see the conditions and the atmosphere and the water levels deteriorate today. and tonight the center comes ashore that is the just the first half of the storm. martha: we know where you will be watching this whole thing and so will we. rick knab, thanks for chicks in with us we appreciate it. >> thank you. martha: people across the northeast as he just showed you are clearly bracing for

hurricane sandy. some are stocking up on supplies. others are businesssy getting out of the storm's path. we go live to ocean city, maryland, where they are already feeling effects and mandatory evacuations are underway. bill: massive effects already, martha. a week from tomorrow america will elect a president. does barack obama get a second term or does governor romney win ohio and win the white house? back in a moment. 18 electoral votes on the line here in the buckeye state. >> you know, ohio, you know me. you know i mean what i say you know that i do what i say i'm going to do. >> we need to make sure ohio is able to send a message loud and clear. we want real change. we want big change. we're ready. this is our time. i need your help. we're going to win on november 6th.

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martha: so mandatory evacuations are underway right now for parts of ocean city, maryland, and the national hurricane center is predicting up to eight feet of storm surge there and steve harrigan is standing by live in ocean city right now. steve, what's it like there right now? >> reporter: martha, the conditions have changed here pretty significantly over the past 12 hours. last night we had 30 or 40 yards of beach here. that has pretty much disappeared. now the waves and the water

have begun to come over the seawall onto the boardwalk here. as you mentioned there is a mandatory evacuation in place for part of ocean city, the low-lying part. the state troopers have been going door-to-door to encourage people to evacuate over the past 12 hours. right now what the real concern is flooding especially on the bay side of the area here. that water is rising high with really nowhere to go. of course the rain is continuing throughout the night and sometimes we have had a half an inch an hour. real concerns here about flooding and emergency officials are stressing to people to stay off the road. we heard from the governor himself who said, don't drive in this. already some restrictions on bridges and roads. encouraging people to stay off the beach and stay off the roads in maryland, martha. martha: what else are the authorities doing to hunker down? there is a limit to what anybody can do once you find yourself pretty well-prepared, right? >> reporter: there is a limit and there is also a limit about what can be done

when the winds get higher. right now we're seeing winds of about 40 miles an hour, gusts up to 50 miles an hour. so when they do reach a certain level it will be tougher for emergency personnel to reach people. also a problem is some of the roads have been covered, either by sand or by water. some of the main routes including route 1, really covered up. so people have had to have left already if they're going to leave the shoreline. right now one positive is in ocean city the tourist season is largely over. you have a hardcore group of 7,000 who live here. they're used to storms and tough weather. a fairly calm attitude despite the worsening conditions here in ocean city, martha. martha: steve, thank you. we'll be checking in with you throughout as we watch this barrel onto the east coast. steve, thank you very much. steve harrigan reporting from ocean city. we have folks posted up and down the east coast and really nobody knows how bad this is going to be because so much of it is really unprecedented in terms of what we're looking at. you have thousands of people

who have already been evacuated from their homes. steve timber joins us now a meteorologist and storm chaser one of the rare breed that likes to drive into things, that is what he is doing right now, chasing hurricane sandy. he is driving in south indiana towards the coast. we have him on the phone. reed, good morning. >> good morning. martha: you talk a lot about, what is so unusual about this storm with the cold air mass and basically sucking this hurricane onto the shore? talk to us about why this time is so different. >> well, this is very unusual storm. it is a merger basically of two different entities or two different types of cyclones. you have a hurricane and it is a very large hurricane at that. a lot like hurricane ike in 2007 that had such a bad storm surge. it is merging with a polar front trough. cold air getting wrapped around the backside. not only do you have a hurricane but you have very heavy snows and blizzard conditions in parts of the appalachians behind it.

you're basically ingesting all the energy in what would be just a pretty weak low pressure center. martha: unusual to see something like this so late in the year and hitting this part of the coast, which is something we haven't seen in a long time. >> it is. and the hurricane is at such a high latitude too which is unusual. the upper level jet stream pattern is almost acting like a vacuum and helping to intensify the hurricane even though it is moving into a colder environment. it should start to transition to extra tropical sigh cyclone. it should pack winds of 80 to 90 miles an hour. we have the armored vehicle. we'll document it from appalachians. martha: appalachians talking about two to three feet of snow and blizzard position. where is your path, reed? where do you plan to put yourself as you drive into all this? >> we plan to start in southern new jersey and document the landfall. then we'll follow the storm inland into the appalachians.

there could easily be two or three feet of snow and 60 mile-an-hour winds. that part of the storm can not be overlooked. people shouldn't take this lightly. it is definitely the real deal and something we haven't seen in a long time. martha: good luck to you, reed as you document this and everybody in the path. we wish everybody well. >> thank you. martha: read it. immer. bill: over the past six months i've been traveling across the country and especially the ohio battleground state talking to voters in several key counties for the 2012 race. i started out in stark county, northeastern ohio, canton, ohio, known for picking winners. i went to franklin county, central part of the state with governor john kasich about his concerns. now we're in ham milton county, in cincinnati, ohio. voters in this election will come down yet again to one

thing, the economy. >> if our government isn't leading by example then it doesn't set a good example for business to follow. bill: justin cooper runs the recycling business his great-grandfather started almost 90 years ago. his vote is all about his company. >> they said four for four years they will invest nor and more here at home and we haven't seen that. bill: cooper will vote for mitt romney. peggy shannon's cookie business is that rare example of a startup that is thrived in the great recession. after just two years, she is now moving to a larger building but the economy remains her concern. >> from a professional standard you think this is a pretty big investment. are we ever going to get our money back and i'm not sure actually but i think you have to have faith in the economy and faith in america. bill: she has a positive attitude during an election season that turned increasingly bitter even when it comes to sweets. >> when we bought put the

obama cookies up we have four or five people within an hour friend us on our page. there is no winning that conversation. it is a little test to have people judge you on your politics as a business owner. bill: chile is a cincinnati tradition. one week before the election nearly everyone in the packed restaurant says they are voting. this woman for president obama. >> i will vote for him again. i think four years is not long enough time to make a complete difference but i think we're on the right path. bill: beverly roe has seen enough. >> i never been involved in the presidential elections and always voted but this one really scares me. bill: why? >> just what i've seen over the last four years. my lifestyle has changed. it's scary. bill: and how seriously do people in ohio take their civic responsibility? every person in that restaurant said they have

either voted already or they will so come next tuesday, which is interesting to note, we were in franklin county about a month ago, columbus, ohio, we saw primarily obama ads on tv all the time. here in cincinnati it is the reverse. it is mostly romney ads. the tv ads that they run are taken from the debates, either debate number one or debate number three to make his final argument here, closing argument in ohio. as ohio goes so goes the nation. you will hear that time and again. it is a dead-heat as we stand here today in this critical swing state. both sides claim they have the edge. who's right? larry sabato is here with that important answer coming up next in ohio, martha. martha: interesting stuff. thank you so much, bill. and back here, hurricane sandy's wrath extending 800 miles along the east coast. the worst may be far from over, is far from over no doubt. we're live with the very latest on the storm's path after this.

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martha: we are back with this fox news alert as we start to get a sense of the beginning damage from hurricane sandy and this is in ocean city. we're being told that there is significant damage to the pier areas along the beach there. military trucks are arriving on that scene to do what they can to help secure. our own steve hair dpan is on the -- harrigan is on the scene as well. most of the area has been evacuated. steve indicated most people have evacuated and that is good news. the military is doing what they can to help as the destruction is being felt along the first instance in ocean city, maryland. we'll be back there shortly. keeping a close eye on hurricane sandy. >> all important. it can be done without ohio but, let's face it, everyone always points out and reminds the world, hey, you can't win a presidential election without ohio and then they go through all the

different hoops and jumps and black flips to show how it can be done but serves to illustrate ohio, it is unbelievably important. bill: brian thomas, 55 krc, local radio here in cincinnati. what he talks about is the significance of this state and we're really trying to balance two stories throughout the day today and tuesday and wednesday of this week. as we do that with sandy on one corner and this election eight days away on the other, larry sabato is with me now from the university of virginia. sir, good morning to you. first question about sandy. virginia, north carolina, what is your guess on the effects of that storm on the outcome in those states, if at all? >> well well, let's see how well or poorly, the federal government and other governmental agencies respond to the inevitable needs that are created once this storm passes. you know, surely, angry voters can vote against incull bents.

we certainly have a long history of that. we'll see what the aftermath actually is once the storm passes. bill: it is interesting to see the strategies too. they're playing it by ear, literally, almost by the hour. you can can see that in the shifts and moves they're making throughout the day. i want to show you a map of ohio, professor. this is the since the 1st of september, over the past 60 days. in blue is obama and biden visits here, 22. red is romney-ryan, 38 visits since september first. the columbus dispatch had it deed even over the weekend. how do you see the state right now? >> i see it incredibly close and competitive. romney was tied yesterday. his private trackings they claim have him a bit up. don't be surprised, bill, if you see a poll popping even today with romney up. they have been concentrating a lot of effort and time by romney, by ryan, by

surrogates on ohio. and so of course have the obama people. look you're standing at ground zero, bill. i know you're a native ohio and think you're a native cincinnati and that is ground zero in ohio, ohio. and, bill, you know this, ohio is played this role since the 19th century. it is incredible how often our close presidential elections come down to ohio. bill: yeah, we were in touch with the romney team over the weekend. what they really like to brag about, professor, that that poll showed them up 18 points among independents. that is really given them encouragement throughout the state here but explain to our viewers why this particular part of the state is so critical in determining presidents. >> well, if a republican is going to win in ohio he has to do well in hamilton county surrounding the cincinnati area. president obama did very

well in hamilton county, eliminating any opportunity that john mccain had to win in 2008. so that's got to change if romney is going to win. of course you've got a very important personage in ohio who is working very hard in an area where he has influence. his name of course is senator robb portman, the guy who also played president obama in the debate drills leading up to that october 3rd debate in denver that changed everything in this campaign. bill: yeah. professor, thank you. you know i know you try to gauge like the little nuances in elections and we try to do the same. you can drive throughout ham milton county, west side of town, east side of town and count the yard signs. i'm telling you professor, it is almost 50/50, almost dead-even between the romney folks and the obama folks. if that is a gauge tough to go on based on that but thank you for your time. larry sabato, university of virginia there. >> thank you. bill: he said it. it is a battleground right,

martha? we'll see which way we go throughout the day. back to you in new york. martha: fascinating in ohio and it is a battleground here as well today because hurricane sandy is already creating a travel nightmare across the country. these are scenes you're looking at now. ocean city, mayor land, we have up right now. the military is being brought in to help the situation to the extent they can. mother nature package powerful punch up the east coast. the breadth of this storm is enormous and the reality is, looks like it will be with us for some time over the next 48 hours, dumping tons of rain. i seen estimates rain we haven't seen in the likes of 50 years to as much as 500 years. historic storm is what we're dealing with here and we're waiting for it to make itself known in stronger way. this is point pleasant beach, new jersey. this area kra was hit very hard last year, same time, same weekend a halloween storm batters the east coast.

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martha: monster storm that is bringing air travel to a near halt in some of the nation's biggest cities and busiest airports this morning, folks. nobody is going anywhere. major airlines canceled thousands of flights. i heard up to 9,000 flights have been canceled in the metropolitan area. thousands of passengers are stranded. as i said, basically, nothing is moving for at least 48 hours would be the appearance right now. steve centanni live in ronald reagan airport in virginia following this part of the story where i'm gathering, steve, it is a bit lonely right now?

hi, steve. >> a very quiet place. a look down the concourse at national airport. nobody there. a few people, a few employees. not many passengers. there is one very good reason why. there are no planes. look at one of the monitors. departures today, canceled, canceled, canceled, canceled. one on time for omaha. but i'm told by airport authority person here even that one may not be leaving. look on the field. hardly ever happens at any airport anywhere especially at the nation's capitol. on the tarmac, no aircraft. the last plane left at 9:08 this morning. yesterday, today and tomorrow, so far 8962 flights canceled at airports along the east coast. a few planes got out this morning. the last one at 9:08 a.m. this affecting travel internationally as well. a lot of busy, a lot of planes coming in from asia and europe arif rife at dulles airport near washington and they didn't

come in. none of the ones scheduling to leave from here to europe are going to leave, martha. martha: no big surprise there. sounds like people who did get out got out in part, steve pause they wanted to move aircraft out of the way. they hitch a ride on aircraft wanting to leave, right? >> yeah, they wanted to get them out of here. they want to get them out of harm's way so they couldn't being damaged by wind or falling branches or anything else. they want them in a safe place. they are not here because this will not be safe later on today. if you're traveling by train, amtrak canceled everything. we have pictures. not running between boston, new york, philadelphia, baltimore, washington, d.c. you will have to make other arrangements. generally stay home if you can. that's what people are advising. if you're in home or d.c., new york, fill definitely, you will not be able to take the subway. all of those are shut time for the time-being. it may be wednesday before things start getting back to normal. martha? martha: every once in a while mother nature tells everybody you have to be

where you are and there is no meetings, nothing going on. it has all canceled except for the rest of us telling the story out there. thank you, steve centanni. >> reporter: you bet. martha: at ronald reagan airport. we're watching this very closely. we want to keep up to date on everything we've learned. what meteorologists are saying what they think is headed our way. the language they're use something unlike anything i remember in quite some time in terms of the historic proportions of this. though clearly want to make their mark to make sure people are listening. there are emergency declarations in half a dozen states. severe damage is reported in some coastal towns. we're looking at some beach areas along the way. this is, what beach are we looking at here, guys? all right. that is rehoboth beach. we've been in ocean city. point pleasant, along the jersey shore, coming back for a check for you at the top of the hour. bill: also we're in battleground ohio. only eight days to go before the election.

both candidates, they are duking it out here in the state. republican governor john kasich, how he sees the state of the race coming up live. [ male announcer ] eligible for medicare?

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but the last thing we should do is turn back now. president obama: i'm barack obama and... i approve this message. martha: fox news alert. some 50 million americans are bracing for hurricane sandy right now. it has left major cities at a complete standstill. mass transit is shut down in preparation of a devastating storm surge. we are hearing a lot about the potential for that. the weather models suggest that the storm is nearly 1000 miles wide. and about this. the damage and the devastation are likely to be very large and could last over the next 48 hours and perhaps longer in terms of what will be dumped in all of these areas. rain and snow and storm surge. a brand-new hour of "america's

newsroom." welcome back, everybody, i am martha maccallum. bill: and i am bill hemmer. the city of cincinnati, the southwestern corner, battleground area of the state. it is all about the economy. we're going to talk with the governor, john kasich about why he thinks the policies have done little to help people in his state. also, buckeye state voters and how they can swing this thing in a few short days. just yesterday, he made a major prediction. we will have that for a follow-up live this hour speed you back here on the east coast, millions are bracing.

as we talk about the storm, we are nowhere near feeling the impact yet. longtime residents who have watched these things many times and they know that this time, what sometimes this type is certainly not. >> this is history being made. it is really crazy. >> i have been here for a long time and i will tell you that the storm coming in right now is scaring me a little bit. as the governor said, this is something that you see during the height of the storm and the storm is a day away. >> most people have left, except for those that are coming down to take a look at the water. but safety is the most important thing. martha: people are truly nervous about this one. peter is live in delaware. have there been any injuries as a result of any of this so far?

>> we do not know about any injuries is just yet. but we have heard from the governor here that the national guard has been rescuing some folks from flooding that did not evacuate by 8:00 p.m. like they were supposed to. it really is breathtaking. the size of these ways out there is -- they are enormous. taller than i am. i'm standing above them, and i am 6'5". i'm standing on the boardwalk. it is covered in sand, shells, rocks, and debris. this is not a good place for all of that debris to be. and for all of that water from the ocean to be. just about 15 feet, 20 feet in front of me, there are dozens of places to eat and places to shop and hotels to stay out.

there are sandbags and boards covering the windows, but that is really not something that most business owners would be comfortable testing today. the water right now, as you can see, just in the last few hours, it started posing the biggest threat we have seen in the last day or so. it is not high tide anymore. the water is much closer than it should be. it keeps coming up, lots of debris and people holding their breath. martha: indeed, peter. as the man said, and the piece before we talk to you, they have watched these kinds of storms come into this area many times. but they haven't seen anything like this in a very long time. still, several hundred miles out to sure. where do you expect the storm surge to beat. when, if at all, what damaged are they expecting to happen or

what has happened? >> at least a couple of feet. i am not a meteorologist, i'm not a meteorologist, i'm not going to give it an exact number, but the storm is a couple hundred miles away. this does not look good. it looks at the sandy walkway out to the beach actually has my boots wet. not a pretty picture here in delaware. martha: take it easy out there. >> if anybody else decides to come down here, they shouldn't. they're not open. if anyone comes to take a picture, do not go this way off the beach. martha: stay safe and take it easy out there. boy, it's going to be a rough one. our reporters are out there and doing a good job and we thank peter for that. let's go over to her next reporter who is atlantic city,

as you see right there. the winds are picking up, and flooding as well. point pleasant beach new jersey, that is where we find rick leventhal and we understand that part of one major roadway already been shut down. >> the garden state parkway, which is a major interstate in new jersey, has been shut down in both directions because of water on the parkway. the parkway is closed and as you can see the boardwalk is also close. every business here in this entire community has been shut down. the only place still open is our hotel. and i want to take you out to the beach. this is steadily worsening. measuring wind speeds in the high 20s to low '30s. i had a gust to near 40 miles per hour already. this hurricane is still well offshore. the waves are very significant. the winds are really picking up in the sand is hitting me pretty

hard. on pleasant beach, very busy. in the winter, there are only about 5500 residents. and many did get out of town. but there are some people here. this place is deadly, as our most of the other beaches. the big concern is the storm surge. it could be eight to 12 feet as we get pretty strong gusts right now. eight to 12 is the storm surge, well over our head. the ocean, the businesses and homes could be underwater and have heavy water as a result of the power outages. right now, winds clocking in at 29 or 30 miles per hour, and they are expected to pick up throughout the day. we can see winds of 60 miles per

hour or more. martha: rick leventhal at point pleasant. thank you, rick. we are still somewhat always away from the brunt of this hurricane making landfall. as you can see, these shots look like we see them in the middle of these kinds of weather events rid there she is. 1000 miles wide. impact we may see from the hurricane sandy in the storm. bill: storm or not, governor mitt romney is trying to make the most of the last few days here in the race for the white house. america votes one week from tomorrow. visiting key swing states today. starting with an event in ohio. >> my own view is that this is a turning point for america. that we need to take a different course. but we cannot stay on the course that we are on. i happen to think that the american people understand that

we need dramatic and real change if we will have a bright and prosperous future. bill: 18 electoral votes online in ohio. the romney team says they like that turnout of the crowd. john roberts is live from avon lake. john, good morning for you. what are you hearing from the romney team this morning? >> good morning as well. first of all, bill, there are a lot of hardy folks. people are coming out despite the rain and wind and cold temperatures. it was the beginning of governor romney's closing arguments. real change begins on day one. the change has been a new fashion. he is supposed to go from here to wisconsin, iowa, and florida. but we don't know how much of

that schedule will work. it is not great to be out there campaigning while a national emergency is unfolding. we don't know how much of that schedule will be preserved, but we understand at the moment that there are no changes. the governor is addressing the storm as well and some of the critical battleground states. he's collecting emergency relief supplies that will be distributed in the state of virginia. filling up his campaign bus with relief supplies as well. this storm, in a day or a half, is supposed to go right through where we are in ohio. the governor spoke to people who could potentially be in harms way. here is what he said. >> right now, some people are very nervous about a storm about to hit the coast. our thoughts and prayers are with the people who find themselves in harms way. >> he also said we should be careful and make sure we are prepared for the storm. bill: john, it seems like both

campaigns are really going hour to hour and moment to moment for the obama campaign. what is the impact on the president? >> well, he did cancel events in orlando, florida, today. he flew back early so he could be there and monitor the situation with the storm. it looks like he will be off the road a little while. yesterday, he went and got a brief from craig fugate eight. here is what the president said when he visited the my. >> my message to the governors as well as to the mayors, is that anything they need -- we will be there. we are going to cut through red tape. we won't get bogged down with a lot of rules. we want to make sure that we are anticipating and leaning forward into making sure we get things done. >> 14 people at a bait dickstein

person crew were rescued after it was floundering and 40 miles per hour winds and 18-foot seas. fourteen people picked up by the coast guard. bill: are very best to anyone out there. the warnings have been out there for a minimum of two days. heed the warnings. no one really knows what form or shape the storms will take when they come on shore. avon lake, northern ohio there. now we're into the final push for the presidential race. eight days ago, we talked with our senior political analyst, brit hume. a bit of analysis about the new economy, and that is coming up here. martha: we have an update about the president's travel in

wisconsin. we are moments away from an update from andrew cuomo. many people will be impacted by this storm. as the president faces question about the death of four americans in libya, we will look at one lawmaker's new quest for answers. in a personal letter that he has sent to the president. we will ask them if the administration did all that they could to protect lives on september 11. >> requests percolate up from the ground. we have to see what the answers are to those questions. ve latel.

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martha: here comes hurricane sandy. brand-new video coming in from ocean city, maryland. we are just hours away from the brunt of the hurricane. but the water and storm surge has already begun to overrun the

boardwalk. flooding on the streets of ocean city, maryland. we reported to you along the boardwalk area, we are keeping a close eye on this, and we are glad to report that most of the areas, folks have cleared out. if they have not cleared out, they should continue to do so and follow whatever warnings are given in their areas. clearly, this is a huge storm. even though we are waiting for the impact of that, some places look like they are already in the midst of it. worst of it may be to come. we will keep you posted at fox news. there is another political storm out there. we are have a days to go until election day. it is hard to believe that we are now just around the corner from walking into the voting booths. governor romney has a reoccurring theme of his presidential run. he is focusing the approach on the final days on fixing the economy. here he is, trying to do that. >> do you think we should have four more years were 23 million people are struggling for a good

job? do you think we should have four more years with trillion dollar deficit? do you think that we should have four more years with obamacare? how about more years in gridlock in washington dc? martha: you are not going to hear a lot of that from either side today. there is so much focus on this hurricane. i am joined by brit hume, fox news political analyst. you know, you think about this. each team, hunkering down, deciding what their best posture is and what they can do to be in the best position to help. also, not to hinder any of what is going on with this hurricane. what is the impact here?>> thert the impact will be until we see where the storm goes. and what it takes down with it in its path. i do not think that the way that the two men -- the two candidates, the way they conduct selves and the candidate --

everyone will cancel events. i can't help but laugh at the president who says that he's going to cut the red tape and get everything everybody needs. nonetheless, there it is. cutting through the red tape, not worrying about the rules. trying to get, you know, out there. whatever is needed. i think the political effect of the storm is hard to calculate. it might affect voter turnout in certain areas. if there is bad flooding, it might make it harder for certain people to get to the polls and so on. it might affect turnout. martha: indeed, we expect the

president to just be president -- tending to the task at hand to the extent that he's able to do so. i guess the danger from the romney side is to interject themselves in a way that is seen as, you know, trying to take political advantage of it in any way. if you are on their side, they want to steer clear of any sign of that. >> yes, i guess you can see that the country will see the president aboard, whatever aircraft that he can use, exuding the kind of compassion and concern for the people that he can do so well. how many people look at him and say yes, you know, he really is our president, and we better not change. on the other hand, you know, it may not work out that way. i think it is late. awfully late.

people are now closing in on their decisions if they haven't already made him and voted. i'm not sure this is going to make a difference or not. martha: if you look at the last eight days, what are the effects? >> i don't think anyone knows what's going to happen. this is as unpredictable as i have ever seen it. we have a certain amount of disagreement between national polls and state polls that we think should be reliable, and they suggest that the state of ohio, for example, that the president is going to do much better there, perhaps and he would do nationally. that has not been true historically in ohio. it makes you wonder. i find this all pretty puzzling. martha: all right. we are along with you for the right. brit hume, thank you so much. a lot of puzzling things from mother nature and on the campaign trail. >> thank you. bill: hours away from sandy making landfall. we will track that. also, new polls out this weekend and this morning the show

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martha: all right, you are looking live at governor andrew, when the city manager emergency management team as they try to get new york folks ready for hurricane sandy. we have already seen the water. we have seen new jersey as we start to see this end clearly, this is going to be around for a wild. it is a huge framemaker. the biggest concern is the storm surge.

it is pushing out through ohio as well. through norwich city, they have evacuated a lot of the lower lying areas. battery park city where people have evacuated. they have shut down the transit this intensity in new york city. they work as fast as they could to get planes out of the area in new york city and moving further west across the country -- and out of harms way. keep in iona's. you can see the governor, andrew comeau. people out and about. the brain is clearly being felt outside, but not to the extent that we will feel it in several hours from now. we will keep you posted on all of what you need to know with hurricane envy after this. let's go to bill.

bill: fox news alert. what president obama knew and when. chief intelligence correspondent catherine herridge on that. she's live in washington. what are we learning about these briefings? two days after the attack, which would put it right around september 13? >> that's right. the primary centers and includes individuals, those who had participated in the attacks,

there were a series of al qaeda training camps. just out of benghazi. it was described as a hotbed for al sharia. there was no mention of a demonstration or emphasis on the anti-islam video is prompting the attack. the chairman says that the administration's public statements are problematic. >> there seem to be inconsistencies in the information. the stories that were being told to congress on us, but they are so certain that this is what is happening, that is what is so concerning and why we need to get to the bottom of it. >> ntc refers back to the point that intelligence statements have evolved over time. bill: was the cia director on the same page as the fbi? and also, on the same page as

the national counterterrorism center? >> we are told that david betray us and his words are consistent with the fbi. the general petraeus downplayed to lawmakers the skill needed to fire mortars that were direct hits. and also that he said the attack was linked to the demonstration. one person said general petraeus, as lawmakers learn more about the attack, including the raw intelligence report -- which allows them to look at the information themselves, we were told they were angry, disappointed, and frustrated that the cia had not provided a more complete picture of the available intelligence. bill: more to come on us. catherine herridge, reporting there in washington.

thank you so much. here is martha in new york. martha: a powerful hurricane sandy is strengthening according to the national hurricane center as it barrels toward the east coast right now. you can see the mass of it on the screen. it has already caused significant damage. you can see the point pleasant beach scene. we have the latest. we are going to get a new path on this at 11:00 o'clock. we will bring you all the latest breaking news on hurricane sandy after this. >> you can definitely tell that there is a storm coming on the edge. it is crazy. everybody is scared

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martha: an important day for the governor is up and on the east coast as they try to help the state deal with the damage and the wrath of hurricane sandy. there is a look at ocean city, maryland. we do have a comment from just a few moments ago from the maryland governor. martin o'malley. >> this is going to be a long haul. the days ahead will be difficult. there will be people that died and are killed in the storm. we are ordering and urging all maryland residents to stay off the roads for the next 36 hours. very dangerous conditions out there, and we ask you not put yourselves or your family in jeopardy and not with our first responders in jeopardy. martha: clearly come he wants to make an impact. this is nothing to be messed

with. let's go to new york. and andrew cuomo on what he expects. >> we spent the day traveling the state. we are very comfortable with the preparation that has been done all across this state. we are comfortable with the level of coordination between the state government and local governments. it went as far as the adirondacks yesterday, and people are prepared. martha: the governor of new york state. let's go to long beach island, new york. one of the conditions like their? >> well, we have been experiencing rain for the last few hours. but really, it is just cold and very windy. the surf behind me, mother nature picking up the waves. once high tide comes again at 8:00 o'clock tonight, they are worried that the waters are not going to be receiving.

during hurricane irene, when irene came and barreled through the northeast last year, there were points on the island where the atlantic ocean, touching the day. what they have done, is they have closed the bridge here for any incoming traffic unless you are a first responder person or a member of the media. martha: we are hearing that people have pretty much cleared out. anyone who doesn't heed those warnings -- we do see some people out on the boardwalk there. >> yes, in fact, yesterday, they were picking up people, sending them to shelters. if you take a look at the boardwalk over here, there are quite a few people. it is not just the media. what we are worried about is the storm surge and 20-foot waves on top of that lambing into these some people are asking us questions, saying that we really don't understand what is going

on. please, explain all of us. this is something that is an unprecedented storm they are dealing with, and something that should be taken seriously. martha: seriously, the 11-foot storm surge and waves on top of that -- you were talking about the second story for those buildings, right? >> that's right. another issue is power outages, and it could be widespread, especially because we have the potential for all the snow and everything. the cruiser would have a very hard time getting back in their. this is something they will be dealing with for a long time. martha: anna, thank you so much. stay safe. bill, back to you in ohio. bill: we want to bring and the republican governor, john kasich. thank you, for coming back to trim one. we are trying to figure out what all these data points and the

evidence shows -- perhaps what it doesn't show throughout the state here. you said something yesterday on "meet the press" that, i yesterday. you said that mitt romney will win ohio and its 18 electoral votes, and he will do it by a greater margin than people expect? why do you believe that, governor? >> first of all, i would just like to say when you said here and think about these storms, we have to keep everybody who is not directly in the path, we have to say a little prayer. or maybe a big prayer. being hit by all this water and the flooding, i mean, what a disaster. we have to keep those people in mind. in terms of the numbers out here, i'm looking at the internal polling numbers. it's not something that i pulled out of the air. the internal numbers, as of late last week, they were very good. we are about week a week away,

eight days away, but things can change at the end of last week. it looked very good for mitt romney, particularly -- and when i say that, because of what it looks like among independent voters out here in ohio. bill: okay. are the independent voters -- this weekend, romney was up 13 points over president obama. >> here is the other thing that people have to realize. whenever they do polls, and i'm not a polling expert. i don't even look at them. but i hear about these things. when they do the polling, they determine who's going to vote on trade vote, what will the turnout the. they don't do it based on a crystal ball was going to happen, they do it on history. these polls are a reflection of the past. you know, what evidence indicates is that the turnout for barack obama is not going to be as high as it was when he ran

the last time. and so if you would just adjust those polling numbers little bit, you get different results. the numbers that i have been told about, but i don't sit down and study these things, it is based on a more realistic production of who's going to show up and vote. that is what it's about. according to andrew cuomo, their polling is excellent. i did not look at the numbers there either, but when you say that independents are trending the way that they are, that is a very, very big sign. bill: understood. the other time you try to pick up on is how many people are coming to the rallies. you have been out there with governor romney and paul ryan. especially up and down the western part of the state near the indiana border and in the central part of the state that surrounds franklin county word you where you are, and columbus, ohio. he saved the crowds, do they compare to bush in 2004, the

less than 2,812,004, or greater, or about the same? >> well, you gave me so many choices, i don't remember what they all are. i don't really know, bill. what i do know is there is a high degree of enthusiasm and intensity among republicans. i was there with governor romney and also there was meat loaf. it was a huge crowd. a very enthusiastic crowd. i get out there, get out amongst them, i get up in the stands, and people were really excited. the other thing that i have been finding this year is a lot of kids. a lot of young people and a lot of kids have been showing up. that has been -- maybe we are starting to see younger parents come to these rallies. it has been interesting. it has been one thing that has stood out. bill: let me get you on one more point here. let me get you on one more point -- democrats will argue that

when the state of ohio, because of the auto bailout, they think they're going to win. you argue otherwise. why is that? >> i'm not in an argument with anybody. we are up 1,200,000 jobs, and 400,000 of those jobs are related to automobiles. the 400 is make 112. i was told that our largest area of growth was health care were in the last quarter. health services and i.t. are up there. we are glad that we have a strong auto industry, but 400 doesn't add up to that. bill: i understand that. governor, thank you for your time. john kasich out of columbus today. martha? martha: we are watching what is a wall of water that is headed for the east coast right now. 30-foot waves in the ocean. heading right at us. maria molina has more about the

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martha: we are back, and we have brand-new information on the track and intensity of hurricane sandy. let's go straight to maria molina. >> hello, everyone. we just got a brand-new update from the national hurricane center. we have found that sandy is a stronger storm that was a couple of minutes ago. maximum sustained winds at 90 miles an hour for an essential minimum pressure has continued to drop. it is a say sign that sandy is continuing to intensify. 194 millibars. that is a record. 260 miles to the south and southeast of the new york city area. across the southern southern new jersey, just south of that,

heading into this evening and tonight. what we have been telling you, we do think the storm will gain strength. when it does make landfall, it does put new york city to the north, but the onshore flow, we could still be seeing a storm surge as high as 11 feet across long island sound and the new york harbor. that is something to keep an eye on. otherwise, life-threatening flooding along the coast and inland. locally up to 10 inches of rain possible across portions of the mid-atlantic. weo want to break it down into a timeline. throughout the day, rain increasing. gusts of 65 miles per hour. as we head into tonight, the worst of the storm across new jersey, new york city, also long island. 80-mile per hour winds. widespread coastal flooding as the storm moves onshore.

we will see some storm surge over new york, new jersey, and that will depend if it coincides with the high tide along the coast. as we have been seeing, the back end backend of the system has interesting conditions in virginia. martha: what time do you expect the initial impact to make landfall? >> about 8:00 p.m. tonight, eastern time. the big storm system spans about 800 miles. we don't want to focus too much on the exact time of landfall. we will feel the impact and conditions will continue to deteriorate out there. strong hurricane force winds, across parts of new jersey and new york. martha: thank you, very much. thank you, maria. we will keep with you to find out what we can expect from this huge hurricane.

it may be the lowest pressure that we have ever seen inside a hurricane, as you pointed out. we will get back you on what that entails. we are watching you. we will watch moron happening now as well. hello, john. >> martha. down here at battery park. the southern tip of manhattan. this is where you usually catch the ferry to see lady liberty. the storm surge is coming this way. what the connecticut governor is saying is that is the most catastrophic storm we have seen in our lifetime. it is headed here. "happening now" at the top ofr o theos hour. concentrated broth to add delicious flavor to your skillet dish in just one stir. mmm!

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>> do not underestimate under estimate the storm. the forecast for the surge are really extraordinary. we are talking about surges that we have not seen before. there is nothing at all to be taken lightly. >> new york governor andrew cuomo. warnings going out again today. i want to show you a satellite image from nasa. want to show you a satellite image from nasa. bedspreads and and stretches itself out up and down the eastern seaboard. the visualization that you get on us is just remarkable. that picture from nasa as it bears down now on what maria just reported. central and southern new jersey

with possibly getting around 8:00 p.m. tonight. martha: a fox news alert. as the controversy grows over the president's response to the attack that left four americans dead in libya. in interview an interview last week, when he learned our country was under attack, he issued a directive that said we are doing what we need to deal in securing our personnel. but congressman buck mckeon says the president answer seems to contradict the actual response. let's bring him in from california. he is also the chairman of the house armed services committee. sir, welcome. great to have you with us today. martha: thank you, martha. >> first, i would like to say that our thoughts and prayers are with you and bill and all of those in the path of the storm out there. you are in our thoughts. >> we thank you.

everyone that is out there and being told to evacuate, we hope that those warnings are being heated. what you wanted to gain from this letter that he wrote to president obama -- first, i want to say what the president and kyle clark, a conversation between him that prompted your letter. >> nobody wants to find out more about what happened than i do. but we want to make sure that we get it right. particularly, i have made a commitment to the families impact, as well as the american people. we want to bring those folks to justice. we will gather the facts, find out what happened, and we will make sure that it doesn't happen again. martha: what is it you hope to achieve with your letter? >> i hope that we can find out what is really going on. if the president thinks that throwing his hands up in the situation room and they do whatever you can to prevent this -- is equated with a military

order -- he is sadly mistaken. if, in fact, he did issue such an order in the order was not carried out by the military, congress needs to get to the bottom of it. but i don't think he issued such an order. i think that the inadequate security and and the seven hours that they watch this attack and did nothing to help our people on the ground -- and the six weeks of different kinds of responses and stories coming out of the white house. the administration. the american people want to know what really happened. this is just a terrible response . the president has been woefully lacking. they want to keep everything under wraps until after the election. we need to find out what happened. and also why we let those people. martha: we thank you.

we will be right back. stay with us.